East Asian Studies MA student
My name is Steele Engelmann. I received my B.A. in Anthropology with minors in Asian and religious studies from the University of Arkansas. My research interests include the impact of popular media on the development of cultural identity and outward perceptions of contemporary Japan and Japanese religion. I am particularly interested in the connections between Japanese spiritual and urban landscapes and how individuals articulate those connections within their communities.
For my undergraduate thesis, I explored contemporary expressions of Japanese religion, urban space, pilgrimage, and community in Kyoto, Japan, through daily interactions with small neighborhood shrines. I am eager to expand my understanding of ethnographic methodologies and popular media cultural studies at Duke. Outside my studies, I enjoy film photography, video games, and reading. I look forward to meeting everyone in the Duke EAS community!